Fullmetal Alchemist vs Shadow Magic
by Matti Ellrik Holpainen
Summary: Edward Elric falls in love with a pretty hotel maid. The trouble starts there....


in the heat of the night14/03/2009 00:40:00

Edward showed up looking as he always did—drained, dirty, depressed. He came to the Blue Dragon Inn at least twice a month. Mum and Dad kept our finest lodging on a retainer for him—they were paid quite handsomely for this by the State. Edward was a State Alchemist. He was also quite a hero, and my first love.

I was seventeen, still a silly girl full of romantic notions. It was my dream that Edward and I would fall in love, get married and go live quietly in the country somewhere. But he was a dog of the military. A quiet life just didn't seem well suited to him. From what I could tell, it looked like he narrowly escaped death on a daily basis. Besides that, his younger brother Alphonse would always be a constant presence in his life. Due to some bizarre alchemical accident, Alphonse didn't have a physical body. Edward had found some way to attach his soul to a suit of armour, so this was how Alphonse appeared to the rest of the world. Those who knew him saw the kind and gentle person he was, even if the armour made him look imposing and scary.

Tonight Edward sat alone in the inn's bar, nursing a scotch and soda. He wasn't much of a drinker normally; there must have been something weighing heavily on his mind. I was watching him whilst pretending to clean tables. My, but he was so beautiful! His long, golden hair fell across his back in a braid…I couldn't help but stare. Finally I got up the nerve to go talk to him.

"Evening, Master Elric," I said cheerfully. " Is the scotch quite to your liking? It's our own special brand, you know, Dad gets it from…"

"Five years," he said suddenly, cutting off my small talk.

"Um…sorry?" I nervously played with my hair.

"Five years," he repeated. "That is how long I have been searching for the Philosopher's Stone. Since I was 12 years old I have been looking for a way to make Al and I fully human again. I am starting to think…it can't be done."

I knew very little of alchemy myself. I had spent my life at the Blue Dragon and had been working there since I was practically old enough to walk. I had very little time for learning. Mum had taught me to read, write and do some simple arithmetic but I suppose it was expected that I would stay at the inn and never venture anywhere farther than the next town. Since I was an only child, it would be up to me to run the inn when Mum and Dad passed on.

"It's, ah, certainly not impossible, Master Elric," I stammered (goodness sake, was he actually conversing with me?). "You are a great alchemist, possibly the best one living. I am sure you will…you know…find out how to make one, or where one is…or…"

He looked at me, his hazel eyes filled with sadness and despair that one as young as we were shouldn't know. "How can I expect you to understand, Matti? You are just a simple hotel maid. You have barely seen anything beyond these walls your whole life." The rest of the scotch disappeared down his throat. He wiped his mouth and stood up. "I am going to bed. Al and I have to leave for Resembool early in the morning. Can you make sure that we have a hot breakfast around five-thirty or so?"

I nodded, feeling quite foolish. Mum was glaring at me from the lobby. I had totally forgotten about the tables I was supposed to be cleaning. "Certainly, Master Elric. Good night then."

As he strode off, I started thinking of my feelings for him. He was the only person I had ever felt so strongly about. He had been staying at the Inn since we were both thirteen. Of course I had noticed other boys, but he was the one I could see myself being with. I wondered, had he had girlfriends, or dare I say it, lovers? He was a very attractive guy, so it wasn't completely out of the question. I suddenly felt extremely jealous of these possible lovers getting to see his perfect body, and kiss his full lips, and touch his…

"Matti," came a stern sounding voice from behind me.

I turned around. "Oh sorry, Mum," I said. "What do you need?"

"You have been cleaning that same spot for the past five minutes," Mum scolded me. " If you try any harder you will wear a hole right through the table! I'll get Claire to finish cleaning the bar. You go take some tea to room 112, and some extra blankets to the Elrics' room, and get to bed. There are a lot of breakfasts to cook in the morning."

At the mention of the name Elric, my heart leapt. " Will do, Mum," I replied, scurrying off quickly.

The old couple staying in room 112 insisted on a lot of irritating small talk. By the time I was able to get free of them I was afraid Edward would be asleep already. Lucky for me he wasn't.

I came upon him lying in his bed. He looked as if he had cleaned up somewhat—his face was free of dirt and his hair had been brushed and freed from the braid. He wore some simple nightclothes. Alphonse was in the other bed. I wondered if he was asleep. Did suits of armour need to sleep?

He blearily looked at me. "More blankets? I think I have quite enough."

"Mum wanted me to make sure you are comfortable," I told him.

"Well, I am," he said. "Thank you."

Something was definitely eating at him. He wasn't usually so rude. Maybe tonight wasn't a good idea to tell him how in love with him I was. I nodded and turned to leave.

"Stop," I heard him say. "Please don't leave just yet."

"Did you need something else, Master Elric?" I asked, my back still to him. "Some tea, maybe? Or some warm milk?" My voice was shaking with nervousness.

"Don't leave me alone, tonight," he pleaded.

I got a chair and sat next to his bed. "You aren't alone," I consoled him. "You've got Al, yeah? And me, I guess. Though I am just a simple hotel maid."

He smiled. "Sorry about that. You are a very pretty simple hotel maid."

I playfully punched him on the arm. "You arse!"

"I am only speaking the truth. Anyway. I should apologize for how I have been acting tonight. It's just been a very…hard week. Then again, it's been a hard life." He chuckled at his own joke. " Maybe with some rest I will feel a bit better."

"Master Elric, I must confess," I said, "I would trade with you any day. My life is so very boring! I think the most exciting thing that ever happened to me was that time when the inn got robbed. I was eight, and I hid in a supply closet the whole time. You are a State Alchemist! You get to go new places and do different things all the time."

His countenance darkened. "I also get to fear for my life all the time. My body is half metal. People probably think I am some kind of freak. No girl will ever want to lay with me, cos they might think my nethers are metal, too!" (I smiled inwardly. I would happily lay with him.) "I have people after me all the time. As a matter of fact, some of those that are after me aren't even people! And I also have a brother who needs me. He can't be alone in the world, in his condition. Who would want this life? This cosmic joke of a life?"

I sat there, speechless. The military always had some kind of glamour for me. The women always seemed so strong and independent. I longed to be one of those women. But Edward seemed to dislike the military. Scratch that, he HATED it.

Finally I spoke. " Maybe I don't want to live your life. But…maybe I want to live life with you." The words came out of my mouth so fast; I had no time to think through what I had just said.

Edward looked at me, a searching and stunned expression on his face. "Matti, what are you saying?"

I reddened. Well, I guess I couldn't stop there. "Edward Elric, I am in love with you. I have been since the second I saw you. I know I can't really give you a whole lot, but I want to be yours…your one and only." I could feel my whole face burning at this point. " Uh, so…do you…you know, f-feel the same way?"

His face looked blank in the dim gaslight. Suddenly he pulled me to him and kissed me. My lips parted and his tongue was in my mouth, probing, almost desperately. I found myself on his bed, in his arms, we were kissing so frantically…His hands were on my rear and mine were laced around his neck. I could feel heat rising very rapidly into my breasts and my nether region. I started to take off his shirt. Abruptly he pulled away and sat up. He was breathing very hard. "Let's not…do this tonight, Matti," he said huskily.

"Do what?" I asked. I was still trying to catch my breath as well.

"You know what," he snapped. "We almost did something very stupid. My brother is right there. What if he had woken up and seen us? What if we had actually gone all the way, things could happen…"

"You started it," I pointed out.

"I'm ending it too. But…you should know, I feel the same way about you. Always have. Also, there is another reason why I wanted to stop. I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to laugh."

I peered at him expectantly. "I promise."

He swallowed and looked at his hands in his lap. "I'm a virgin."

I smiled. "Why would I laugh, you weirdo? I am too. Mum doesn't let me out of her sight long enough for me to misbehave."

"Just in case I am no good at it the first time." He shrugged. "If there is one."

"Oh Edward," I sighed. "What do you mean? I would be a very good girlfriend…or lover, or whatever we are going to be. You are here all the time. And I will try to write you when I can. What could possibly go wrong?"

"The military could bring you news of my death or disappearance," he said matter-of-factly.

"That isn't going to happen," I argued.

"It can," he said. "It could."

I kissed him again, softer this time. "You aren't going to die, Edward Elric. At least, not until you are old and toothless and peacefully in your bed."

"You are naïve," Edward insisted. "You don't have any idea what goes on in my life at all."

I stayed with Edward until he fell asleep. By the time I left, it was quite late and I received a thorough lashing from Mum. It wasn't too bad though. It was worth it.

Edward woke when it was still dark out. Alphonse was already up, packing the things they would need on their journey. He was eyeing the hot breakfast that had been brought up. He didn't need to eat, he couldn't, but he longed for it just the same. Anything to make him feel more human.

"Morning, brother," Alphonse said happily. "Ready for the long ride to Resembool?"

"When am I not?" Edward replied sarcastically. He picked up the bowl of farina cereal and started to eat.

Out of the corner of his eye Alphonse noticed a scrap of paper on the breakfast tray. Probably just a reminder from the front desk, he thought as he unfolded it. His eyes widened when he saw what was written on it. "Uh, brother?" he said tentatively. "I think this is for you."

Edward read the note. It said:

"Dear Edward,

So glad I got to see a bit more of you than I usually do. I can't wait until you stay at the Blue Dragon again. I am going to think about you a lot when you are gone. Stay true to me. You know I will do that for you."

Love Always,

Matti Holpainen"

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Alphonse asked after Edward was done reading.

Edward's expression hardened. "Yeah, there is. We need to tell Mustang that we need a different place to stay. I don't think we will be staying at the Blue Dragon anymore."

******TO BE CONTINUED*******


End file.
